Durham Dispatch

Story by Emily Chambliss, video by Erik Haynes, photo (in original article) by Madeline Nguyen   On a warm September evening in Durham, N.C., a crowd gathered under the shadow of the Gothic spires of Duke University’s campus. Community organizers, educators and residents filled a small church hall, sharing a simmering frustration. Their voices echoed the same question: What could Durham do with $50 million? Fifty million dollars that the Duke Respect Durham initiative, a coalition calling on the university to give more money to the city it calls home, believes Duke owes the city each year. As the second-largest employer in North Carolina with a $11.6 billion endowment and over $4 billion in properties, Duke University owns 11 percent of the land in Durham County, the campaign said. The university has long been a symbol of Durham’s economic resurgence. But for many Durham residents, Duke’s financial contributions to the city have failed to keep pace with the university’s massive profits — and its outsized impact on the local community. “We want Duke to be a partner in Durham, but that means entering into a Democratic relationship, where there are civic processes to speak back to Duke and hold Duke accountable for the ways they say they’re spending their money,” Kevin Georgas, local pastor and Duke Divinity School alum, said. Duke University and Duke Health are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits, and are not required to pay taxes on non-commercial properties. While Duke contributes to the local economy in many ways — through jobs, purchasing from local businesses, and philanthropy — Duke Respect Durham asserts that the lack of direct contributions to the city’s budget leaves a gap that could otherwise be filled. The campaign estimates Duke would owe the city $50 million each year if taxed. In 2022, the university reported paying $3.7 million in property taxes. Duke Respect Durham aims to push the university into a more democratic, collaborative relationship with the city, calling on Duke to make voluntary payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) to contribute its fair share. PILOTs are voluntary payments made by private, tax-exempt nonprofits as a substitute for paying property taxes. Yale, Johns Hopkins and Cornell universities are among several universities that have chosen to make annual PILOTs to their local communities. Duke, the campaign argues, should do the same. “They are exempt from paying this large thing which every other resident in Durham, every business in Durham, needs to pay,” Samantha Heller, Cornell alumna and Durham resident, said. “It’s sort of like an unfair system, especially considering that Duke has vast amounts of wealth.” In a Monday email to UNC Media Hub, Adam Klein, associate vice president for economic development at Duke, said the university shares in the future of Durham and its challenges. Duke pays nearly $2.5 billion in wages to more than 35,000 Durham residents. Klein said these residents make purchases and pay taxes that generate $8.9 billion in sales for Durham County, on top of $233 million spent with Durham-based businesses and $10.1 million contributed to Durham-based nonprofits by the university in 2023. “Duke’s spending with Durham-based companies and investments in non-profits is one of, if not the largest, of any private Durham entities. And we’re not done,” Klein wrote. “We are launching a new economic inclusion effort focused on deepening Duke’s impact as an employer and purchaser of goods and services in Durham.” Duke Respect Durham criticizes the university for contributing to the city “on their own terms.” Residents engage in improving the community while also paying taxes. “It’s all on Duke’s terms,” Mark Gutay, a Durham native, said. “It’s not about helping Durham directly. It’s about helping Duke. And then maybe it’s like a side effect. Some people in Durham get a benefit, A good example is they’ve really nicely manicured their campus and make it open to everybody. But since we don’t have good public transit, only people within like five blocks can get there.” Durham residents have long struggled with poverty. 12.6 percent of the city’s population lives below the poverty line, above the national average. Disinvestment in education and health, such as teacher shortages and a lack of healthcare access, exacerbate economic and racial inequalities. The campaign calls this path unsustainable, and states it will continue as long as Duke maintains an “undemocratic” relationship with Durham. So what could Durham do with $50 million? Funding for affordable housing, public transportation and schools were some of ideas shouted out by community members at the September kickoff event. Duke plays a pivotal role in Durham’s development. As the city expands and living costs rise, long-time residents face a significant shortage in affordable rental housing, gentrification displacing them from the very neighborhoods they help sustain. PILOT funds could help provide more affordable housing by directly supporting the construction, rehabilitation or acquisition of new affordable housing units, providing rental assistance to low-income households and encouraging developers to build more affordable units. “The housing market in Durham has made it such that it’s really, really difficult for people who work at institutions like Duke, Durham Public Schools and who take care of our city, to actually live in the city,” Georgas said. “I would hope to see some action around housing justice.” Klein said Duke has a long track record of supporting affordable housing projects across the city. The university banks $22 million with local community development financial institutions that lend to affordable housing developers. He said Duke has contributed to the new Willard Street housing development downtown, and donated $1 million to the Durham Housing Authority. The housing authority used these funds to receive an additional $40 million Choice Neighborhood grant from the federal government, aimed at redeveloping distressed housing. “We are proud of this work and are working closely with public sector and non-profit partners to support the creation of more units,” Klein wrote. However for many of Durham’s low-income and working-class residents, it’s not just about affordability — it’s about the systemic inequities that have persisted for decades, Georgas said. The city’s history is one marked by disinvestment in Black neighborhoods, a legacy that has been compounded by gentrification and rising costs. Duke’s wealth and influence have shaped Durham’s real estate, which Duke Respect Durham said often comes at the expense of marginalized communities. The university was heavily involved in the use of racially restrictive covenants in real estate practices during the Jim Crow era. These covenants, which prohibited Black and Brown families from purchasing property in certain parts of Durham, contributed to the city’s uneven development. This legacy continues to affect the community, particularly in historically Black neighborhoods such as Hayti, which was disrupted by the construction of Highway 147. The construction severed key economic and social connections in the area, stifling opportunities for Black families. A proposed light rail project in Durham sparked hope among residents that it could help reconnect communities like Hayti to other parts of the city and Chapel Hill. Duke pulled its support for the project in 2019, effectively ending the project’s planning. “I’ve looked at the bus schedule, and if I were to try to get to work at UNC, it would be like an hour and a half or something to get in with a bus,” Gutay said. “The light rail project probably would have made it relatively easy to get there.” Klein declined to comment on the university’s decision to withhold its signature from the cooperative agreement. “It’s really difficult to hold Duke accountable to what it says it’s doing with that money,” Georgas said. “And there are not public or civic forms of dialog for the people who are affected by Duke’s actions in the community to speak back to Duke and say, this is helpful, or you think this is helpful, but actually it’s not as helpful as you think it is.” Durham’s public transportation system struggles with limited resources, inadequate coverage, and reliability issues. Many residents rely on it to get to jobs, schools and medical appointments. Commuters, particularly those in outlying areas, face challenges with proximity to bus stops, long wait times and frequent cancellations. Transit funding from PILOTs can enhance bus routes, increase frequency and improve overall reliability, making public transportation a more viable option for residents. And as many lower-income areas lack adequate transit access, additional funding can better connect underserved residents to employment, education and healthcare opportunities. Johns Hopkins University, which makes PILOTs to Baltimore, funds commuter assistance programs, transit subsidies and employee transit passes. It also contributed $150,000 to a transit-oriented redevelopment plan. “Yale and Johns Hopkins have continued to do their philanthropic efforts. And those have continued even as they’ve made PILOT payments,” Georgas said. “ I think it just gives some proof of concept that this can be a good, healthy way for a powerful institution and a city to relate to each other.” Durham community members lost access to free GoTriangle bus rides in June when the fare-free ridership program ran out of federal funding from the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. GoDurham buses are expected to remain free until summer 2025. Regular fares are set at $2.50, with a discounted fare of $1.25 for users with disabilities. The city offers transit assistant passes to riders who qualify for Medicare, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits or have an annual household income below $35,000. Duke offers free transit passes for students, faculty and other staff. A Duke NetID and Duke email address is required in order to qualify for the pass. “I think this is where PILOT comes in. It would be an effective way for Duke to actually help Durham in a way that is not selfish,” Gutay said. In 2024, Durham Public Schools announced a 30 percent bus driver shortage. A report released in April by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction revealed that DPS is losing teachers at a higher rate than other districts across the state. The report did not specify the exact reasons for teachers leaving, but nearly half of the self-reported responses were categorized as “personal reasons.” National data from We Are Teachers indicates that many teachers are dissatisfied with their salaries, concerned about safety and experiencing burnout. Earlier this year, DPS staff, teachers, and community members protested pay cuts for classified workers, like office staff and custodians, leading to Superintendent Pascal Mubenga’s resignation in February. The protests resulted in school closures and canceled bus routes throughout the month. PILOT funds could be directed toward addressing some of the most pressing issues in the district, such as reducing class sizes, upgrading facilities and expanding educational programs, Gutay said. They could also help increase teacher salaries and provide professional development opportunities to retain talented educators, ultimately improving student outcomes. Duke’s College Advising Corps works statewide to boost college enrollment among low-income, first-generation and underrepresented high school students in rural North Carolina. With advisers in 22 high schools serving 30,000 seniors, Klein said it has helped secure more than $35 million in scholarships and financial aid. He also said Duke is partnering with Durham Tech and DPS to open a new high school designed to address shortages in nursing and other in-demand healthcare professions. DPS teachers are not the only city employees facing what they deem to be inadequate wages. The lowest paid department in Durham, waste and sanitation workers, also contains the highest percentage of Black and Brown workers. “We would like to see PILOT funds potentially be used to even out some of those inequities,” Georgas said. “Both in class and pay, but also the racial inequity as well.” Advocates with Duke Respect Durham would also like to see an expansion of programs like HEART, an initiative aimed at providing mental health crisis aid from trained professionals rather than involving the police. Heller said the campaign acknowledges the good Duke does for Durham, but wants to foster a democratic partnership that prioritizes transparency and citizen voices. “Durham’s success will be determined partly by how Duke and Durham foster a strengthened partnership based not on transactions but on a shared vision. We’re eager to continue that work,” Klein wrote. Duke Respect Durham has received support from 31 sponsor organizations, including the Duke Graduate Students Union and the Durham Workers Assembly. The campaign’s petition has gained nearly 1,000 signatures since its launch in September. “It’s very much about the power relationship between Duke and Durham. Duke talks about wanting to be in partnership with Durham as an anchor institution. But a partnership requires transparency,” Georgas said. “It requires accountability. It requires dialogue, and it requires compromise.” This article and video were first published by UNC Media Hub.

By Carl Hintz On October 22nd, 2024, the Durham Workers Assembly met at Durham People’s Solidarity Hub. Twenty-four people were in attendance. The meeting started with time for attendees to socialize and share a dinner of chicken, rice and beans, green beans, and plantains. One of the strengths of the workers assembly model is that it brings together workers from different sectors. For example, restaurant workers, Amazon workers, retail workers, nurses, and public employees were there. Another strength of the workers assembly model is that in addition to the immediate concern of workplace labor organizing, the assembly creates a space for workers to learn about and discuss important issues of the day. The focus of the October 22nd meeting was how environmental concerns impact workers, such as the devastation from Hurricane Helene and the risk that dangerous heat poses. Both hurricanes and heatwaves are more severe because of climate change caused by burning coal, oil and gas. Several organizations provided updates on their labor org­anizing efforts. The newly-formed Durham Food and Bev­erage Workers United is organizing at various businesses in Southpoint shopping mall. REI Co-op workers are pushing for their first union contract in Durham. Amazon workers at RDU1 in Garner are engaged in a union card signing campaign. Once more than 30 percent of the workers at RDU1 sign a union authorization card, Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment ( CAUSE ) will be able to request a union election run by the National Labor Relations Board. Duke Respect Durham is engaged in a campaign to push Duke University to make payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to the city of Durham. The payments would help meet essential needs such as funding for schools, affordable housing, transportation, and better pay for city workers. Durham Workers Assembly is affiliated with the South­ern Workers Assembly which is a network of local unions, worker organizations, and organizing committees. Partici­pat­ing individuals and organizations are brought together by the shared goal of building rank-and-file democratic unions in the U.S. South. Megan Shan, a REI Co-op worker, said that the Durham Workers Assembly was helpful to her co-workers’ efforts to unionize with UFCW and to fight unlawful retaliation. For example, worker assembly members showed up to picket lines during the May 2023 strike. Unfortunately, a worker who was wrongfully placed on administrative leave was later fired, and has yet to be reinstated. The strength of unions is proven in recent strikes. Com­munication Workers of America secured a 19 percent wage increase over the next five year contract which covers 17,000 AT&T workers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennes­see, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Florida, and Alabama [ 1 ]. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) three-day strike at the start of October changed the United States Maritime Alliance’s tune. Before the strike, USMX was unyielding on the issue of wages and automation. ILA’s Octo­­ber strike will likely help to increase the concessions that USMX is forced to make to port workers when their extended contract ends on January 15, 2025. The October strike also demonstrated the power of organized workers in strategic sectors of the economy as billions of dollars of U.S. imports came to a halt on the first of October. Felicia Wang from Sunrise Movement Durham shared information about how Hurricane Helene has impacted workers. Applications for unemployment have spiked , particularly among hospitality industry workers in Western NC [ 2 ]. Hurricane Helene was especially destructive because of climate change. Increased rainfall and flooding is enabled by warmer air temperatures caused by burning coal, oil, and gas. Hurricanes strengthen more rapidly because of warmer ocean temperatures, also caused by greenhouse gas pollution. One factor that contributed to the landslides in Western NC was a period of low rainfall that preceded the storm. Droughts are now more frequent due to climate change. Rapid intensification of hurricanes make evacuation ef­forts more difficult and lead to a higher death toll. Addi­tion­ally, building codes fail to address the risks posed by climate-fueled extreme events such as hurricanes and heavy rainfall, leading to more death and destruction. One attendee shared how the extended loss of electricity was life-threatening for some folks with disabilities. Buried transmission lines, rooftop solar, and battery storage would help to improve resilience during disasters such as Hurricane Helene. We can expect similar disasters in the future with increased frequency and severity. Dante Strobino, from UE Local 150 , shared information about the proposed OSHA heat rule, “Heat Injury and Illness Pre­vention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings.” The OSHA heat rule is critical because of the number of workers ex­posed to dangerous heat both inside and outside in NC. Each year, workers die due to heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke. Unfortunately, there is no law or policy that protects workers against extreme heat. It is important for members of the public to make public comments in support of the proposed OSHA rule. Industry groups are likely to oppose the heat rule, just as industry groups opposed standards to ensure air quality that would prevent the spread of infectious disease in workplaces. The deadline for public comment on the proposed OSHA rule is December 30th, 2024. Please make a public comment before the deadline here . In addition to making public comments in support of the OSHA heat rule, workers and community members can help build the labor movement in NC by attending workers assembly meetings and by volunteering with labor organizing efforts such as those at RDU1 in Garner and at Southpoint shopping mall in Durham. This article was first published in Triangle Free Press . Work Cited “CWA Members Ratify Contracts With AT&T, Securing Raises Across Eleven States.” Communications Workers of America , 18 Oct. 2024, cwa-union.org/news/releases/cwa-members-ratify-contracts-att-securing-raises-across-eleven-states . Craver, Richard. “Helene-related Weekly Unemployment Claims Surge 290% in NC.” Journal Now , 10 Oct. 2024, journalnow.com/news/local/business/employment/helene-related-new-weekly-unemployment-claims-surge-290-in-nc/article_78d7b546-8731-11ef-88ab-b306287eed73.html .

The people of NC WARN are deeply saddened by the unprecedented suffering across states devastated by Hurricane Helene. We applaud the courageous dedication of utility workers, FEMA and all those at the center of the recovery efforts. We also sympathize with the many North Carolinians still out of their homes six years after Hurricane Matthew, and Florence earlier, devastated eastern NC – and our concern is deepened by scientists’ warning of even stronger storms to come. At long last, North Carolina leaders must demand and facilitate an open discussion about the transition to generating and storing solar power where electricity is being used – particularly on the vast, untapped resource provided by roofs, parking areas and contaminated land. Such local solar-plus-storage (SPS) is the fastest, cheapest and fairest way to phase out climate-wrecking fossil fuels. And ramping up SPS would greatly reduce the reliance on the transmission infrastructure that’s increasingly vulnerable to climate disasters and acts of malice [ 1 ]. Since 2017, NC WARN engineers have been demonstrating to Duke Energy executives and state regulators that SPS can and must become a central part of the urgent effort to get off fossil fuels [ 2 ]. Our new Sharing Solar proposal and statewide campaign highlight the multiple resiliency benefits of a local SPS approach – such as keeping emergency facilities and shelters operable when power lines go down [ 3 ]. BLOCKING THE WAY Tragically, Duke’s leaders and state regulators keep undermining the state’s rooftop solar industry while greatly expanding the use of fracked fossil gas – the very methane that scientists increasingly warn is a key driver of global heating [ 4 ]. Ironically, Duke Energy leaders and allies want to spend billions of customer dollars to build the very same, vulnerable power lines, towers and transformers across eastern NC – the state’s most frequent hurricane target and the same underserved communities that blocked Duke’s $8 billion Atlantic Coast gas Pipeline in 2020. Climate-worsened hurricanes such as Helene are exactly why a world-leading climate polluter like Duke Energy cannot be allowed to continue dictating North Carolina’s path forward. The state’s rooftop solar companies, currently reeling from Duke and regulators’ attack on net metering, could be the key to expanding local solar right away – beginning with emergency facilities, hospitals, and shelters. Along with halting the expansion of methane gas, North Carolina could finally begin helping to slow the climate crisis while building communities that can better withstand the effects of disasters like Helene. Our sympathies are with all the people who are hurting and we remain determined to help turn the tide so that North Carolina finally begins to help slow the global climate emergency. This article was published first by NC WARN . Work Cited “Sharing Solar Issue Brief #1 : How Does It Improve Resiliency?" NC WARN , 18 Oct. 2024, www.ncwarn.org/sharing-solar-resiliency . Warren, Jim. “Local Solar & Batteries Can Rapidly Replace Fossil Fuel Electricity, Save 10s of Billions, Create 1000s of Jobs Across North Carolina, Says Energy Engineer.” NC WARN , 14 Sept. 2018, www.ncwarn.org/2017/08/local-solar-batteries-can-rapidly-replace-fossil-fuel-electricity-in-nc . “The Quickest, Most Affordable Way to Tackle the Climate Crisis and Cut Power Bills.” NC WARN , 7 Oct. 2024, www.ncwarn.org/sharing-solar-summ . Friedlander, Blaine. “Liquefied Natural Gas Carbon Footprint Is Worse Than Coal.” Cornell Chronicle , 3 Oct. 2024, news.cornell.edu/stories/2024/10/liquefied-natural-gas-carbon-footprint-worse-coal .

On November 12th, the Durham County Board of Commissioners postponed a vote on a new training facility proposed by the Sheriff’s Office. The $18 million project would transform an existing firing range on Electra Road. The commission delayed discussion of the planned facility to a January 6th work session after the project was strongly criticized as a "cop city" by Triangle Stop Cop City, Durham Beyond Policing, and other organizations.   Between 30 and 40 residents attended Tuesday’s meeting to oppose the proposed training facility. The group was mobilized to county chambers by a November 11th Instagram post that got 1,400 likes, viral by the standards of Durham politics [ 1 ]. For comparison, mayor Leonardo Williams received 500 likes for an Instagram post about his speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention [ 2 ].   Critics of the Electra Road project secured a partial victory about an hour into the meeting when board chair Nida Allam removed the relevant vote from the consent agenda [ 3, timestamp 1:19:00 ].   Allam also said, “For this item, I’ll request that sheriff Birkhead and attorney Lovelace bring this back to a work session again for further discussion and an opportunity for more information sharing with the community and the board” [ 3, timestamp 1:22:00 ].   The activists didn’t stir until Allam said, “Since this item is not on the agenda for approval anymore, there is not a period for public comment” [ 3, timestamp 1:26:00 ]. Existing firing range on Electra Road. Image credit: CBS17.   At this point, people who'd come expecting to speak disrupted the meeting to argue with Allam and commissioner Nimasheena Burns. The board eventually gave a one-minute time slot to anyone who wanted to make a public comment.   Before the short speeches began, Burns offered her view of the issue. She suggested that Durham County law enforcement spending, including the $18 million project, has gotten too much scrutiny.   “A couple months ago, when it was time to do the hearing for this property, everybody voted on that public hearing,” said Burns. Later she continued, “And so today, something we’ve gone over three times, we’re pulling it [from the consent agenda]” [ 3, timestamp 1:24:00 ].   During arguments with audience members, Allam claimed that planning for the training facility had been public and transparent. She said, “This is an item that has been discussed several, several times. This isn’t an item that is being put on the agenda without discussion” [ 3, timestamp 1:32:00 ].   The News and Observer  wrote that the Electra Road project had been “long-planned” since “at least 2020” [ 4 ]. In a paragraph describing plans for the facility as long-standing and well-known, the article provided a link to the Durham County Capital Improvement Plan. The site does include an entry for a “Sheriff Firing Range Upgrade” in FY2022-23 with a cost of $12 million [ 5, pg. 3, Goal 3 ]. However, the name, year, and cost are all misleading or incorrect. The News and Observer  quoted sheriff Clarence Birkhead who wished residents had raised their concerns before “the eleventh hour” and also noted that “there are no bathrooms” at the existing site. The firing range has been in use for forty years. CBS17  repeated a Sheriff's Office claim that the project had been ongoing since 2016, but provided no evidence [ 6 ]. Rendering of proposed training facility. Image credit: CBS17 Political and media spin aside, public scrutiny and awareness of the proposed training facility was nonexistent before Tuesday’s protest. A major reason is that there wasn’t a single article about the project in any newspaper prior to November 12th. Given that fact, it’s a small miracle that community organizations managed to find Tuesday’s vote, understand its significance, mobilize a large number of people, and successfully delay the Electra Road project.   Although the $18 million facility has been postponed, a majority of commissioners would likely vote in favor if given the chance [ 3, timestamp 1:27:00 ]. With board approval, an existing firing range on Electra Road would be transformed into “a 10,000 square foot building with classrooms, bathrooms and magazine storage. The already-existing firing range on the property would be renovated” [ 6 ].   Public comment began ninety minutes into Tuesday’s meeting. Every speaker was opposed to the proposed training facility. Residents called project a “cop city”, criticized the conduct of Durham's police, questioned the institution of law enforcement, and called for more social spending of various kinds. A member of Durham’s HEART teams, which were praised by many residents during public comments. Image credit: News and Observer. A few quotes from these remarks are provided below:   Carrie Medlin:   “I love Durham. Since I moved to Durham, the following people have been killed by law enforcement officers: Jesus Huerta, Mathew McCain, Raphael Bennett, Terry Lee, La’Vonte Trevon Biggs, Dennis McMurray, Frank Clark, Uniece Glenae Fennell, Kenneth Bailey Jr., James Earl Staton Jr., Jean Carolyn McGirt, Shaun Jeffrey Christy, Deshawn Evans, Ondrae Hutchinson, Darrell Kersey, Brittany Kittrell, Charles Walker Piquet, Stephanie Wilson, Raishawn Jones… [timer rings] … Erick Cano-Castellanos” [ 3, timestamp 1:42:00 ].   Maxine Eloi:   “I care deeply about the city of Durham and the people here and believe that we all deserve to live a joyful, abundant, and free life. The idea of the police began as a force to capture enslaved people and it has yet to cut this root out. That is the core of what the police stand for” [ 3, timestamp 2:00:00 ].   Elizabeth Arandt:   “I’m speaking out in opposition to the sheriff’s proposed training facility as well. I believe it’s absolutely vital for the safety, well-being, and basic human rights of Durham citizens to reject this proposal for a new cop city. This facility would serve to further militarize our police force and take essential funds away from meaningful public services” [ 3, timestamp 2:13:00 ].   Work Cited   1.     “Post by Triangle Cop City and others.” Instagram , 11 Nov. 2024, www.instagram.com/trianglestopcopcity/p/DCPSES_vo9v . 2.     “Post by Leonardo Williams and others.” Instagram , 23 Aug. 2024, www.instagram.com/p/C_CHenVu4hm . 3.     “Durham County Board of Commissioners Meeting.”  YouTube , 13 Nov. 2024,  www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKfRfeEwpMs . 4.     Moore, Mary Helen. “Group Protests $18M Durham Sheriff’s Office Training Facility, Linking It to ‘Cop City.’” News and Observer , 15 Nov. 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article295464889.html . 5. “Capital Improvement Plan.” Durham County NC Transparency Portal , www.data-dconc.org/dashboards/capital-improvement-plan . 6.    Bokun, Ben. “‘Cop City’: Durham County tables plan to build $16M sheriff’s training facility after protests”  CBS17 , 15 Nov. 2024,  www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/durham-county-news/cop-city-durham-county-tables-plan-to-build-multi-million-dollar-sheriffs-training-facility-after-protests .

$1.50 and Amazon Prime is not a gift or a raise. It is a small part of what Amazon should have been paying us! Amazon has only raised pay a total of $2.50 over the last three years, less than the cost of living has increased. You’ve seen how much more you have to spend on groceries, how much your landlord has raised the rent. $1.50 does not even begin to cover it. An RDU1 associate will now start at $18 an hour, less than half of the minimum living wage for an adult with a child in the Raleigh area - $41.23. Even a single adult must make $25.30 an hour to have a living wage. If you are still not making a living wage, a pay increase is not a raise, it is a joke! The only reason Amazon has even made these meager pay increases is that they are scared of us unionizing. They made the starting wage $15 an hour in 2018 because they felt threatened by the Fight for Fifteen movement. This time they are frightened by CAUSE and all the other unionization efforts throughout the world. Do not get it backwards: Amazon throwing out extra pennies in raises is proof that we need a union more than ever! It is proof that us coming together can bring real change, not pocket change! UPS warehouse workers recently won record wage increases, going from $15.50 an hour to $21 an hour and guaranteed additional raises that amount to a $10.25 an hour increase over five years. UPS workers have better wages and benefits because workers put pressure on the company while the Teamsters union bargained with the company. Their union-run healthcare, TeamCare, has a $0 monthly payment, $100 deductible, out of pocket max of $1,000, as well as full dental, vision, and disability coverage. We can fight for what we deserve with CAUSE! Amazon gave us a crumb of the $574 billion they made last year so they can say we don't need a union. In 2022 and 2023 Amazon paid an outside group of people over $14 million to pretend to be co-workers and bad mouth unions because they are afraid of the power of organized workers. Amazon is afraid because it knows that workers united in the CAUSE can win far higher wages and better working conditions and benefits if we come together. The first step? Sign a union authorization card and get your friends and family to sign too! This article was first published by CAUSE .

Speaker from NC Environmental Justice Network On Tuesday evening, about a hundred people gathered in front of the Durham County Courthouse to protest the climate policies of Duke Energy and the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC). Speakers at the rally criticized the utility's plans for 8.9 gigawatts (GW) of new fracked gas plants in speeches. At seven o’clock, the crowd went into the courthouse for an NCUC public hearing.   According to state law HB951, Duke Energy and the NCUC must eliminate carbon dioxide (CO2) in the utility sector by 2050. In apparent defiance, the utility has planned for 8.9 GW of new fracked gas plants by 2035 [ 1 ]. Duke Energy’s promise that new fracked gas plants would be converted to hydrogen fuel in the 2040s has been viewed with skepticism by critics. CT and CC technologies are compatible with fracked gas. Image credit: Duke Energy, “IRP Load Growth Fact Sheet” The “Rally Against the Duke Energy Carbon Plan” featured speeches from Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck from 7 Directions of Service, Caroline Armijo of The Lilies Project, Bobby Jones of Down East Coal Ash, and others. The event was MC-ed by Karen Bearden from 350 Triangle.   "The Dan and Roanoke River watersheds are the only places on earth where you can find the Roanoke Logperch and James Spinymussel,” said Cavalier-Keck. “These and other endemic species will cease to exist if we don’t protect them from harm like Duke’s proposed methane-fracked gas build outs in Rockingham, Caswell, and Person Counties.”   People at Tuesday’s rally debated the size of Duke Energy’s fracked gas expansion, which is complex and poorly covered by media. Some saw a small victory since as recently as 2022 Duke Energy was planning an even-larger fracked gas expansion of 11.7 GW [ 2, pg. 86, table E-84 ]. Others worried that the reduction to 8.9 GW by 2035 not fully understood, and could be a trick to push through other negative policies. “We're here because we recognize that the climate change emergency is upon us. We're not talking about climate change coming tomorrow or in ten years, it's already here," said one speaker, "We’re here because we believe that not one community can be regarded as disposable. We believe that for our communities in eastern North Carolina… for our workers here in Durham County…and for people overseas.”   Twelve environmental groups planned the rally together including Climate Action NC, NC Black Alliance, and Sunrise Movement Durham Hub. Organizers were pleased that the event included both “climate change” and “environmental justice” groups, which often divide on lines of race and class.   During the “Rally Against the Duke Energy Carbon Plan”, speakers accused Duke Energy of pushing fracked gas under false pretenses. The power plants have a lifespan of 30 to 40 years. Green groups fear that plans for 8.9 GW of fracked gas would enable Duke Energy to emit CO2 far past the 2050 deadline ordered by HB951.   The utility has promised to convert new fracked gas plants to green hydrogen in the 2040s, but the technology for a full transition to hydrogen fuel does not exist. There are no 100 percent hydrogen-fired plants in the world, a fact often pointed out at Tuesday's rally, making Duke Energy’s proposal some combination of dubious, reckless, or fraudulent. Speech by Caroline Armijo from The Lilies Project State law requires the NCUC to revise the carbon plan every two years. Many of the green groups in front of the courthouse had held similar events for public hearings in 2022, but the NCUC still went ahead and approved plans for two GW of new fracked gas plants [ 3 ]. That led many environmentalists to view the regulator as a rubber-stamp for Duke Energy.   The activist’s speeches ended at seven o’clock and people lined up to get into the courthouse. Some attendees didn’t plan to stay for long. When NCUC member Floyd McKissick opened the proceedings, disruptions began almost immediately. The first to stand up and loudly denounce the NCUC was Bobby Jones from Down East Coal Ash Environmental and Social Justice Coalition.   “This hearing is a farce! We already told you what you need to do last time, and you betrayed us! I’m walking out, and we’ll be holding a real hearing outside for anyone that wants to join.” NCUC member Floyd McKissick chaired Tuesday’s hearing. Image credit: NC Legislature   McKissick soothed the crowd, assuring them that public testimony was taken seriously by the NCUC. There were two more protests and walkouts in the early minutes of the hearing. By the time calm was restored, a dozen people had left the courtroom to go outside for a “People’s Hearing” led by Jodi Lasseter of NC Climate Justice Collective.   Environmentalists have good reason for cynicism toward the NCUC. On paper, the regulator oversees Duke Energy, with full powers to apply state laws to the private monopoly. While accurate, that picture leaves out Duke Energy’s spectacular influence over state politics which the utility has used to shape energy laws and ensure a compliant NCUC.   In the last two years, the NCUC has rubber-stamped four of Duke Energy’s requests – the last carbon plan docket in December 2022, a rooftop solar case in March 2023, as well as two huge rate hikes in August and December 2023. “Rally Against the Duke Energy Carbon Plan” on April 30, 2024. Image credit: NCCJC When the interruptions petered out, McKissick began to call up attendees to give testimony on the carbon plan. Speech after speech requested the same policies – speed up closure of coal plants, scrap plans for new fracked gas, and move toward a renewable grid based on local solar, battery storage, and wind power.   McKissick listened to the comments politely, as he had during the 2022 hearings. A bailiff watched the crowd carefully, on guard for more mischief.   Outside at the “People’s Hearing”, participants passed around a microphone and talked about Duke Energy and the NCUC. One member, Steph Gans, said the whole situation reminded her of her work as a therapist. She recalled clients who were cigarette smokers tell her about the emotional agony of knowing they’d paid thousands of dollars for a product that later gave them cancer or heart attacks.   “It’s a little different with Duke Energy. They come and tell us that they’re going to ruin our communities and destroy our environment. And the kicker is, we have to pay for it”. Flooding in Fair Bluff, NC caused by Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Two years later, the town was hit by Hurricane Florence. Image credit: The Guardian Work Cited   1.    Duke Energy Corporation.  Supplemental Updates to Duke Energy’s Resource Plan . season-01 2024,  www.duke-energy.com/-/media/pdfs/our-company/carolinas-resource-plan/january-24-fact-sheet.pdf?rev=8e61a3e3e8c844daaf4f2d5b6635c687 .  2.    “Carolinas Carbon Plan, ‘Quantitative Analysis.’”  NC Utilities Commission , 16 May 2022,  starw1.ncuc.gov/NCUC/ViewFile.aspx?Id=bad82411-63e7-4553-9c0c-18a8f671773d . 3.    Clingman, Alex. “NC Utilities Commission’s Carbon Plan Order.”  NC Sustainable Energy Association , 6 Feb. 2023,  energync.org/nc-utilities-commissions-2022-carbon-plan-order .

On April 19, the new Arab Caucus held a heritage celebration at the North Carolina Democratic Party headquarters. Friday evening at Raleigh's Goodwin House featured lots of keffiyehs, laughing children, Palestinian food, elected officials, and calls for justice in foreign policy.   The "Arab Heritage Celebration" was the Arab Caucus' first event, and brought together around eighty people. Attendees were mostly Arab Americans but also included friends of the community, elected officials, and candidates for office. The caucus timed the event for April, which is Arab American Heritage Month.   Members of the relatively new caucus, like civil rights lawyer Reem Subei, said they had long been involved in Democratic politics but were galvanized to join the group due to the growing need for collective advocacy in the local Arab American community. When the Arab Caucus was approved by the North Carolina Democratic Party in February 2024, Subei was elected as its first president. Arab Caucus leaders pose for a photo. Subei is second from the right. “Our caucus stands as a testament to the collective voice and strength of the Arab community in North Carolina,” said Subei. “Together, we are committed to building a more inclusive democracy, advocating for our community's interests, and supporting Arab Democrats in their pursuit of public office.”   A   Palestinian chef  catered the event with trays of musakhan rolls, mini-pizzas, and a few types of fatayer. Attendees wore many kinds of traditional Arab clothing including keffiyehs and red-and-black thobes. A mannikin in the foyer of the Goodwin House wore a Palestinian wedding dress. Image credit:   Big Bite Kitchen   One of the main topics of discussion at the Goodwin House was the current political nightmare faced by progressive Arab Americans. There was unanimous fury at U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza and deep anger at the top-level Democrats who are complicit. Other caucus members joined the new group to channel the community’s response in a constructive direction.   “There is a risk that the Arab community refuses to engage in formal politics, or worse, that a significant number turn to the right-wing to punish the Administration. We don’t want to let that happen.”   Six elected officials and candidates for office came to Friday's event, including Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, Congressional candidate Frank Pierce, and state representative Maria Cervania. Raleigh City Council member Mary Black introduces a ceasefire resolution in March 2024. Image credit:   Youtube account of City of Raleigh   Raleigh City Council member Mary Black also attended the Arab Heritage Celebration and got a warm welcome because of her efforts to pass a ceasefire resolution in Raleigh. During her brief remarks, Black joked that it was a happy coincidence she’d worn green, a color often used to show support for Palestine.   “ I am supportive of this monumental caucus because it comes at a time when we need more voices from the Arab community informing politics,” said Black, “There’s a famous quote that says, if you’re not at the table then you’re on the menu. As a black American whose ancestors had to fight for every single freedom owed to us, I believe that to be true.” Moving forward from its first event, the Arab Caucus plans to continue pressing for a ceasefire in Gaza. In addition to anti-war work, the group said it will work on protecting U.S. democracy, advocacy for community interests, and supporting Arab Democrats running for office.

On November 9th, a wide array of labor and political groups held an organizing fair in Moore Square. Groups such as Raleigh Mutual Aid Hub, Jewish Voices for Peace, and Southern Workers Assembly set up tables to recruit members, promote initiatives, and pass out literature. The organizers said they hoped to demonstrate that, in the aftermath of a disastrous election, there are still many opportunities to build movements for labor rights, social justice, and international peace.   “We have power, we just have to be organized and conscious”, said Jody, a member of the IBEW union, “This event is important because it is a first step towards realizing the power we can only claim if we get organized.”   Around two hundred people came to downtown Raleigh for the organizing fair. Among the many labor groups with booths was CAUSE, a nascent union at the RDU1 warehouse in Garner, a town just south of Raleigh. CAUSE workers launched a union drive in September 2024 after years of building support within their Amazon fulfillment center. As of early October, the union said that “hundreds” of workers have signed union cards [ 1 ]. Less than three percent of North Carolina workers belong to a trade union, which is quite low even by U.S. standards. During Saturday's event, speakers from North Carolina Triangle Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) occasionally addressed the crowd.   “Our work begins with an acknowledgement of where we are”, said Mika, a DSA member, “We stand at the precipice of a fascist movement taking office, wielding the tools that the Democratic Party build and expanded for them.”   Political groups opposed to Donald Trump and the Republican Party have labelled them as fascist in reference to the regimes of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. A major aspect of fascism in these governments was state dominance over the business community. The only legislative achievement of Trump’s first term was a major tax cut for large corporations. It is unclear whether the Republicans would seek to break out of their subservient relationship with the business community over the next four years.   Meals for the Masses, a left-wing community kitchen, recruited volunteers at the organizing fair. The group serves free meals “no questions asked” every Sunday in Moore Square, and then turns the dinners into educational sessions on topics like “the backwards and hostile laws that the city of Raleigh imposes on the unhoused community” [ 2 ]. Around 1,400 Triangle residents were unhoused in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and other sources [ 3 ]. Activism and symbolism related to Palestine was widespread at Saturday’s event. Groups such as Jewish Voice for Peace, Healthcare Workers for Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, and others attended. Countless people wore keffiyehs and many booths were decorated with watermelons or other pro-Palestine imagery. Several tables were draped with Lebanese flags to protest U.S. support for Israel’s fourth invasion of Lebanon since 1978 [ 4 ].   DSA used the organizing fair to promote the “No Appetite for Apartheid” campaign, which asks local businesses to boycott Israeli goods. The initiative does not distinguish between goods made in Israel proper versus those made in illegal West Bank settlements. According to a DSA pamphlet, sixteen Triangle businesses have pledged their support for the campaign.   The third speaker at Saturday's event promoted a campaign against Gateway Women’s Care, an anti-abortion group with a Raleigh location. Gateway’s website offers “free, confidential pregnancy and sexual health services”, but reproductive rights groups have found that the organization has said it wants “women to choose life for themselves and their unborn child” and has called the communities where it operates “sexually broken and abortion-minded” [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ].   “We have been working on a campaign against anti-abortion centers over the last few years”, said the speaker for the anti-Gateway campaign, “We’ve been picketing Gateway Women’s Care on Hillsborough Street … to put pressure on the landlords [Ted and Pam Van Dyk] not to renew their lease. We have a petition going and have a picket this Friday at 1 p.m.” The organizing fair included more than a half-dozen groups that identify as socialist, anarchist, or communist, an unusual sight even the relatively progressive Triangle. To select at random, one of these was the Durham chapter of the Black Rose anarchists. The group has a moderate following on Instagram and a Linktree that spotlights a study group and recommends a 75-page program called “Turning the Tide”.   The Triangle chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), another group at Saturday’s event, has been more public facing and places strong emphasis on U.S. foreign policy. PSL activists have played an important role in frequent ceasefire rallies in Moore Square that tend to attract hundreds of people. In November 2024, the group raised money for Cuban relief at Mi Barrio café in Durham. The event raised $2,000 that PSL said, “will provide life-saving materials such as food, medicine and generators which are blocked from entering Cuba by the U.S. blockade” [ 8 ].   ---   At the Martin-Blount intersection, entirely outside the auspices of the organizing fair, a local chapter of the Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge (ISUPK) had set up a stage. The group's actions were a depressing reminder of what happens when politically minded people are not organized in a constructive way. An ISUPK speaker spewed hate against the LGBT community and also mixed in rambling thoughts about actual problems like white supremacy, gang violence, and the war on drugs. ISUPK has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.   ---   The organizing fair offered Triangle residents ways to join movements for labor rights, social justice, international peace, and other issues. The progressive and leftist groups that staged the event said they hoped to offer people productive ways to channel their fear and frustration in the aftermath of right-wing election victories. Strong attendance at Saturday's event suggested that there are many Triangle activists prepared to move forward with an optimism of the will. Work Cited Geller, Lena. “At an Amazon Warehouse in Garner, a Card-Signing Campaign Is Underway.” INDY Week , 18 Oct. 2024, indyweek.com/news/wake/at-an-amazon-warehouse-in-garner-a-card-signing-campaign-is-underway . "Meals for the Masses post on November 1". Instagram . www.instagram.com/p/DB1aVckJnee/?hl=en&img_index=1 . Eanes, Zachery. “What’s Behind a Surprising Drop in Homelessness Numbers in the Triangle.” Axios , 3 Nov. 2023, www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2023/11/03/behind-the-drop-in-homelessness-numbers-in-raleigh-durham . Bigg, Matthew. “Israel Has Invaded Lebanon Three Times Before. Here’s a Closer Look.” New York Times , 1 Oct. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/world/middleeast/israel-lebanon-invasions-history.html . "Website homepage". Gateway Women’s Care. https://gatewaywomens.care . “Gateway Womens Care - Full Filing- Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica , https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/581584775/202342089349301154/full . "Gateway Women’s Care (Accredited Organization Profile)" ECFA . www.ecfa.org/MemberProfile.aspx?ID=4129 . "Triangle PSL post on November 10". Instagram . www.instagram.com/p/DCMb1GcR-FD/?hl=en&img_index=1 .

By Felicia Wang, ShiftUS Campaign Damage from catastrophic flooding after Hurricane Helene ravaged Swannanoa. Image credit: New York Times. Asheville, North Carolina was once dubbed a "climate haven", a place to resettle to avoid climate disasters such as wildfires and coastal storms [ 1 ]. Hurricane Helene shattered that notion [ 2 ].  According to Moody’s Analytics , Hurricane Helene may have caused $15-26 billion in property damage and lowered economic output by $5-8 billion [ 3 ]. AccuWeather estimates of economic losses – including loss of life, health costs, extended power outages, and rebuilding infrastructure – have ranged between $95-250 billion [ 4 ][ 5 ]. The United States has a robust disaster relief system, and yet people will be reeling from the 2024 hurricanes for years. As many countries in the Global South do not have the wealth to cope with climate change, it's time for the wealthier countries to pay a fair share in compensating for losses and damages. Our Share of International Financial Compensation The entire UN Loss and Damage fund stands at $700 million per year, 0.2% of projected needs, with the U.S. contributing just $17.5 million [ 6 ]. Our contribution to global loss and damage funds is three orders of magnitude smaller than the cost of property damage from a single hurricane. Of course, loss and damage does not only include property damage. While there is no official UN definition, it is generally considered to include  damage to infrastructure, economic interruptions, loss of life, migration costs, and loss of culture [ 7 ]. The Fair Share Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) , led by the ShiftUS campaign , calls for the U.S. to develop both national reforms and international mechanisms to promote realistic loss and damage financing given our current climate disasters. Domestically, policies might include a climate damages tax proposal, the redirection of fossil subsidies and military spending, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reforms, all guided by a comprehensive National Loss and Damage Plan. The US also needs to develop compensation mechanisms such as disaster relief and recovery funds, insurance subsidies for those in high-risk areas, direct reimbursements for cultural losses, expanded healthcare infrastructure, debt cancellation in under-resourced climate-impacted communities, and a U.S. Environmental Damage Fund to restore the natural environment. On the international level, the fair share framework  calculates that the U.S. is responsible for $340 billion per year in adaptation and loss and damage starting in 2030, due to its historical emissions since 1950. Much of this financing would go to developing nations that lack financial capacity and emissions responsibility. Possible international funding mechanisms include reforming International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Drawing Rights, frequent flier levies, and a global billionaire tax, as proposed by the Brazilian G20 presidency [ 8 ]. Rebuilding and Recovery Given the increased level of climate-induced natural disasters, we must rebuild in a way that adapts, emphasizes resilience, and minimizes emissions.  In Buncombe County, North Carolina, “a debris removal company estimates it will collect 100,000 cubic yards of trees and limbs ” in just one town [ 9 ]. To visualize, this quantity of waste would cover a football field “to a depth of up to 56 feet,” according to town manager Jonathan Kanipe — a burden that does not include washing machines, propane taxes, shattered houses, and other debris. Even though President Biden has approved a request from Governor Cooper to “ cover all of the costs of debris removal for the next six months,” there is no plan in place to do so [ 10 ]. It will be up to each town and county to figure out how to remove, store, and then dispose of all this trash, and many communities do not have such storage or moving capacity. Thus, the Fair Share NDC  calls for a National Zero Waste Plan by 2026 so that local, state, and federal governments can coordinate and preempt waste management needs, both in times of crisis and on the daily [ 8 ]. Hurricane Helene also destroyed much critical infrastructure, such as roads, power lines, and bridges [ 11 ]. Virginia Tech professor Manoochehr Shirzaei  notes that “Legacy systems, including levees, dams, bridges, roads, and electrical grids, were not originally designed to endure the growing severity of hurricanes exacerbated by climate change. As these structures deteriorate with time, their vulnerability to failure during extreme weather events increases” [ 12 ]. When we rebuild, we must promote resilience and greener infrastructure. The Fair Share NDC  calls for FEMA and NOAA to create climate resilient design guidelines that can be used by states [ 8 ]. In addition, it demands funding to support tree and urban forestry maintenance to reduce flood impacts. New requirements to minimize emissions, such as low carbon construction materials and passive heating and cooling mechanisms, are also necessary. North Carolina’s transportation sector can also be built back better through high speed rail between major cities, increased bus routes and light rail options, and more resilient roads and bridges. All of this must be coordinated in a National Adaptation Plan by 2027 to ensure that all communities are supported equitably in response to climate impacts. Such a plan must incorporate clear pathways for resilient infrastructure, safeguarded communities, metrics, and identification of protected ecosystems. In addition, the U.S. must contribute its fair share to international adaptation to finance developing nations’ efforts to develop sustainably as well. This is especially true for climate-vulnerable communities in the Global South who have negligible contributions to this crisis. Climate Mitigation Finally, any plan to address climate-induced disasters such as Hurricane Helene must address climate mitigation.  Our Fair Share NDC  mandates a fair, funded, feminist, and equitable fossil fuel phaseout by 2031 to avoid future disasters like Helene [ 8 ]. As hurricanes like Helene become the new normal, the US must acknowledge our new reality by writing an NDC that contributes its fair share to mitigating, adapting to, and compensating for the climate crisis. Work Cited Andreoni, Manuela. “‘Climate Havens’ Don’t Exist.” New York Times , 1 Oct. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/climate/asheville-climate-change-flood.html . Harvey, Chelsea. “Hurricane Helene Signals the End of the ‘Climate Haven.’” Scientific American , 4 Oct. 2024, www.scientificamerican.com/article/hurricane-helene-signals-the-end-of-the-climate-haven . Jain, Saumya. “Moody’s Puts Total Property Damage From Hurricane Helene at $15-26 billion.” Reinsurancene.ws , 1 Oct. 2024, www.reinsurancene.ws/moodys-puts-total-property-damage-from-hurricane-helene-at-15-26bn . Danielle, Monica. “Helene Aftermath: More Than 130 Dead, Historic Flooding, Millions Without Power Amid Catastrophic Destruction.” AccuWeather , 30 Sept. 2024, www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/helene-aftermath-more-than-130-dead-historic-flooding-millions-without-power-amid-catastrophic-destruction/1697545 . Ferrell, Jesse. “Helene Is 2nd-deadliest U.S. Hurricane in 50 Years, Could Cost $250 Billion.” AccuWeather , 4 Oct. 2024, www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/helene-is-2nd-deadliest-u-s-hurricane-in-50-years-could-cost-250-billion/1698452 . Lakhani, Nina. “$700m Pledged to Loss and Damage Fund at Cop28 Covers Less Than 0.2% Needed.” The Guardian , 7 Dec. 2023, www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/06/700m-pledged-to-loss-and-damage-fund-cop28-covers-less-than-02-percent-needed . Bhandari, Preety. “What Is ‘Loss and Damage’ From Climate Change? 8 Key Questions, Answered.” World Resources Institute , www.wri.org/insights/loss-damage-climate-change . “United States of America, Fair Shares Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).” ShiftUS , 2024, static1.squarespace.com/static/66c61a66e866c037c6929221/t/6706af8ee961996942356b5b/1728491410044/Final+Fair+Share+NDC.pdf . Stradling, Richard. “Helene Creates Piles of Debris in Western NC That Foretell Long Cleanup Ahead.” The News and Observer , 6 Oct. 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article293445259.html . Wagner, Adam. “‘The Nation Has Your Back’ : Biden Joins Cooper for Helene Flyover, Promises Recovery Aid.” The News and Observer , 4 Oct. 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article293356544.html . Closson, Troy, and Christina Morales. “Missing People, Power Outages, Ruined Roads: Issues Across the Southeast After Helene.” New York Times , 5 Oct. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/10/05/us/hurricane-helene-damage-deaths.html . “Expert: Climate Change, Aging Infrastructure, Human Decisions Feed Into Disasters Like Hurricane Helene.” Virginia Tech News , https://news.vt.edu/articles/2024/09/hurricane-helene-climate-infrastructure-disaster-expert.html .

By Victor Urquiza Community members, organizers, and UFE staff join the prayer ceremony with the Apache Stronghold at the Avila Center for Community Leadership. Photo credit: Apache Stronghold On September 4th, 2024, United for a Fair Economy had the incredible privilege of hosting the Apache Stronghold in Durham, North Carolina on their national prayer journey leading up to their Supreme Court fight on September 11th. A History of Theft, Broken Promises and Mass Suffering Ever since the colonial project of the United States began over 400 years ago, indigenous nations and tribes have been subjected to genocidal practices including land theft and forced displacement, murder, sexual violence, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, racism and broken treaties.  These injustices have been met with many forms of resistance. Since 1492 to the present day, Native people in the Americas have fought back against colonialism and capitalism. One of the most recent examples of this 400 year long resistance is within the Apache Stronghold.  Photo credit: Robin Silver Photography The Fight To Save Chí’chil Biłdagoteel (Oak Flat) Chí’chil Biłdagoteel – “Oak Flat” in English – is sacred ceremonial ground, held by several Apache tribes in Arizona. Since the early 2000s, Apache tribes and community support groups have fought against Resolution Copper, a multinational mining company, which has been attempting to steal the land of Oak Flat to gain access to one of the biggest copper deposits in the country. For decades, the U.S. government had prohibited mining operations on this land because of its sacred value to several native groups in the Southwest. This all changed when, in 2014, a last minute change to a defense bill directed the government to transfer the Oak Flats land to Resolution Copper. This bill included plans to construct a mine that will obliterate the sacred site in a nearly 2-mile-wide, 1,100-foot-deep crater. In response, a coalition of Apache tribes, non-Apache native groups and non-native organizations came together to create the Apache Stronghold. They sued the U.S. government for this blatant attack on religious freedom and indigenous sovereignty. Seeking Justice: All the Way to the Supreme Court For the last decade, the Apache Stronghold has been challenging the Federal government in a series of lawsuits to repel Resolution Copper from their sacred land. They argue that the 2014 legislation that gave away their land act violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) of 1993, which prohibits any agency, department, or official of the United States or any State from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion. They also charge that it is in violation of an 1852 treaty promising that the United States would protect Apache land and “secure the permanent prosperity and happiness” of the Apaches. When the trial court declined to stop the land transfer, the Apache Stronghold appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. On June 24th, 2022, the Ninth Circuit rejected their case, stating that the land transfer to Resolution Copper did not “ substantially burden the Apaches’ religious exercise . ” The case was reheard by the Ninth Circuit Court in November 2022, but once again was refused on March 1st, 2024. The Apache Stronghold decided to bring their fight to the Supreme Court.    A Prayer Journey from Oak Flats to SCOTUS Stops in Durham Since July 11th, the Apache Stronghold has been traveling across the country from Oak Flat to Washington, D.C. on a prayer journey to raise awareness and build support for their righteous struggle for spiritual sovereignty. They stopped in Durham, North Carolina on September 4th, where UFE hosted them at the Avila Center for Community Leadership. Our staff had the privilege of participating in their prayer ceremony. One week later, their Supreme Court case, Apache Stronghold v. United States , was heard on September 11th, 2024. It is expected that the Court will decide by early next year whether to hear the case. Apache Stronghold organizer, Vannessa Nosie (left), UFE Executive Director, Jeannette Huezo (middle), and Professor and Apache Stronghold organizer, Dr. Wendsler Nosie, Sr. (right). Photo credit: Apache Stronghold A Court Case That Can Change the Nation A decision in Apache Stronghold v. United States will have massive legal implications across the country. It could change longstanding U.S. law, which has recognized that only native people have a “spiritual connection to the land,” and could also substantially impact existing law on religious freedom of all individuals, native and non-native.  With an extremely conservative Supreme Court, this could be a tough battle for the Apache Stronghold. However, in the words of Dr. Wendsler Nosie, Sr., “this fight is only the beginning.” Apache Stronghold v. United States is opening up a much-needed conversation about indigenous sovereignty and modern day colonization. UFE stands in firm solidarity with the Apache Stronghold and will continue to give our support to their struggle. Click the links below to learn more and stand in support. Watch: Apache Stronghold - The Fight to Save Oak Flat    Please donate to the campaign Please share the campaign and click “track this case” to sign up for updates: Apache Stronghold v. United States This article was first published by UFE .

Durham County’s inspection reports of construction projects in the Lick Creek watershed show an alarming indifference to sediment pollution, according to Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop. “In the public records we requested from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, there is a lack of notices of violation for sites that we know are polluting,” Samantha said. “There are 32 active construction sites in this small, 22.9-square-mile watershed, and dozens of them are regularly out of compliance with sediment and erosion control standards.” Samantha has been tracking sediment pollution in the Lick Creek watershed in southeast Durham for more than two years. The extreme turbidity — the amount of soil particles suspended in the water — has been attributed to stormwater runoff from hundreds of acres of surrounding land cleared to make way for new housing developments. “In the first six months of the year, out of the 32 active construction projects in the Lick Creek watershed, only three of those sites received notices of violations despite the fact that dozens were out of compliance,” Samantha said. “In their inspection reports, we can see all of these places where it was noted they were out of compliance — in some cases, the developer was out of compliance for three, four or more inspections in a row — and no notice of violation was issued.” A notice of violation can bring with it a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for non-compliance with sediment and erosion control standards. According to the public records Samantha received from NCDEQ, none of the three civil penalties issued to developers in the Lick Creek watershed earlier this year was more than $1,000. “I think our regulators are too easy on these developers and contractors,” Samantha said. “For these developers with multi-million-dollar budgets, $1,000 means nothing to them.” The cost to the environment, however, is much steeper, she said. “We’ve got these significant environmental costs that we’ve been documenting for over two years, and we’re not asking developers to pay their fair share, even when they’re known polluters,” Samantha said. “The cumulative impacts cannot be overstated.” On Wednesday, Samantha made a trip out to Lick Creek — a tributary of the drinking water source for millions of Raleigh residents, Falls Lake — to do more sampling. “It rained an inch and a half on Saturday, so it was four days after a rain, and you could see where dirty water is just flowing off their sites, from their sediment basins into the creeks,” she said. “The problem is persisting and maybe even getting worse.” Like the work your Riverkeepers are doing? So do we! Donate today to support their efforts in the lab and in the field! This article was first published by Sound Rivers .

Despite calling pro-Duke Energy regulators’ interpretation of the law ‘absurd’, appeals judges give Utilities Commission OK to accept Duke’s biased cost calculations On September 17th, a state appeals court panel rejected claims that regulators violated state law when allowing Duke Energy to downgrade the economic benefits for owners of rooftop solar. The ruling is a step forward for Duke Energy’s 12-year battle against its sole competition: solar power owned by residential, commercial and nonprofit customers. The court said that the clean energy groups challenging the regulators’ decision were correct in insisting that the North Carolina Utilities Commission, or NCUC, was required to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of solar net metering. The ruling said the NCUC’s claim that it didn’t have to do so was “plainly absurd and in direct conflict” with state law [ 1, pg. 20 ]. But the court said that by simply opening a docket on Duke’s proposed rule change and receiving formal comments from other parties, while denying multiple requests for an evidentiary hearing, the NCUC had in fact conducted a sufficient cost analysis. Opponents dispute Duke’s key argument for the October 2023 rules change, in which the NCUC said that non-solar customers are harmed when solar owners are compensated for power they feed onto the grid in a process called net metering. The challenge was led by NC WARN and the Environmental Working Group. But the appeals court judges – Hunter Murphy, John Arrowood, and Tobias Hampson  –  backed the rule, which has already thrown the state solar industry into disorder. The clean energy appellants are considering an appeal to the state Supreme Court because the law requiring an independent cost-benefit analysis is so clear-cut, as even the legislation’s lead author has insisted. “The appeals court seemed to go out of its way to give Duke the win,” said Jim Warren, executive director of NC WARN. “Even the rubber stamp regulators admitted they didn’t do a cost-benefit analysis, but that Duke’s internal numbers were OK. Bizarrely, the court ruled that the regulators’ limited proceeding did count as the analysis.” “The court made a significant blunder by ignoring state law that clearly requires regulators conduct an independent cost-benefit analysis, instead of relying solely on Duke’s own calculations,” said Caroline Leary, EWG’s general counsel and COO. “This setback not only impedes the progress of North Carolina’s expanding solar industry but also deepens the challenges facing the state as it battles the real-time implications of the climate crisis.”   Warren added, “This ruling directly harms our once-growing solar power industry and the communities constantly battered by climate change driven by polluters like Duke Energy. We need the judicial system to uphold the law while other state officials – particularly the rubber-stamping regulators – constantly bend the rules and fair process in deference to this giant corporate polluter,” he said. BACKGROUND During the legal proceedings in February 2024, attorneys for the clean energy coalition hammered Duke Energy and the NCUC for bypassing mandatory independent cost-benefit analysis, required by state law, before reducing incentives for rooftop solar. They argued that rooftop solar offers a swift, cost-effective, and equitable means to transition away from fossil fuels. Additionally, they emphasized compelling evidence, including an analysis from state Attorney General Josh Stein showing how net metering benefits all customers by reducing the need for new gas-fired plants, which contributes to rising rates and climate change. Duke vigorously blocked the independent cost-benefit analysis that would show the truth. The NCUC sided with Duke’s internal calculations without even conducting its own cost-benefit analysis required under state law, or a public hearing as called for by multiple parties including the attorney general. The coalition challenging the NCUC order includes EWG, NC WARN, Sunrise Durham, 350 Triangle, 350 Charlotte, N.C. Climate Solutions Coalition, N.C. Alliance to Protect Our People and the Places We Live, along with retired chemical engineer Donald Oulman. Following a February 2024 court hearing, a senior official from a leading solar company cited a widespread drop in residential and commercial solar sales since the Duke-NCUC net metering rules change took effect in October. More data on statewide sales will become available soon. This article was first published by NC WARN . Work Cited “NC Utilities Commission, et. al. v. Environmental Working Group, et. al.” Republished by NC WARN , 17 Sept. 2024, www.ncwarn.org/wp-content/uploads/NEMAppealDecision9-17-24.pdf . “North Carolina.” SEIA , www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/north-carolina-solar . "IRP Load Growth Fact Sheet". Duke Energy , Jan. 2024 , www.duke-energy.com/-/media/pdfs/our-company/carolinas-resource-plan/january-24-fact-sheet.pdf?rev=8e61a3e3e8c844daaf4f2d5b6635c687 .